Bubble helps spider live a life aquatic

Branwen Morgan
ABC

Diving bell spider with air bubble (Humboldt University, Germany: Stefan Hetz)

An enduring bubble of air inside an underwater silk sack allows one species of spider to remain underwater for hours at a time, according to a new study.

In fact, the bubble is so efficient it allows spider to live virtually its whole life under water.

Professor Roger Seymour of the University of Adelaidesays that the diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica) creates a submerged oxygen store, five to ten centimetres below the surface and can "stay down for more than a day while resting."

The study, which is published in The Journal of Experimental Biology, overturns previous research that suggests the spiders need to return to the surface every 20 to 40 minutes.

Air-breathing aquatic insects, including other species of spider, carry a bubble of air from the surface down with them. But this usually contains enough oxygen to last for several minutes. But, by virtue of its 'diving bell', the diving bell spider is capable of remaining under water for most of the winter.

A. aquatica makes its diving bell by spinning an open-bottomed dome-shaped silk cocoon between the fronds of pond plants. It then fills it with a single air bubble that, according to Seymour, can be "as big as your ring fingernail."

The size of the bell is highly variable, sometimes only admitting entrance of the spider's abdomen. Female diving bell spiders tend to make larger diving bells that can be further enlarged according to need, such as to accommodate eggs or prey. They also enlarge the bell when the oxygen levels in the water drops.

The never-bursting bubble

Seymour, along with German colleague Dr Stefan Hetz of Humboldt University, set out to determine the effectiveness of the spider's diving bell by measuring oxygen levels within the bell and surrounding water.

"The bubble inside actually protrudes out between the fibres of the web, so it's a naked air-water interface," says Seymour. "This also gives the spider its name (Argyroneta), which means silvery net. The bubbles look like silver balls that are held under the water."

The scientists used oxygen-sensitive fibre optic probes to calculate the gas volume of the diving bell and the level of gas exchange occurring between the bell and the surrounding water. They also measured the spider's oxygen consumption.

"[We found] up to eight times the amount of oxygen can go from the water into the bubble from what was initially present," says Seymour.

Indeed, the diving bell functions as a very effective physical gill as opposed to an anatomical gill. And, because the diving bell spider lives a quiet sedentary life, its oxygen requirements are easily met -even in extreme conditions of warm stagnant water.

But, without supplements of fresh air, the bubble eventually shrinks as the nitrogen gas diffuses back into the water. Thus, the spiders need to make a daily dash to the surface to collect a replenishing bubble.

"They need to come up to the surface to get this little bubble to reintroduce into the bell," says Seymour.

It's carried down on the spider's abdomen and rear legs. Once inside the bell, the new bubble fuses with the underwater air supply.

Staying still and safe

"Being able to stay still for so long, without having to go to the surface to renew the air bubble, protects the spiders from predators and also keeps them hidden from potential prey that comes near," says Seymour.

He speculates the spiders may build their diving bells at night for this reason.

But Seymour adds that the Eurasian-dwelling spiders are become increasingly scarce.

"In Germany, they are popular with aquaticists because they are so interesting in their behaviour. This may be one of the reasons they are becoming harder to find."

வாழ்க வள்ளுவம்;வளர்க தமிழ்!!!! பொருட்பால்:நட்பியல்!!!! பேதைமை:அதிகாரம்84/133

வாழ்க வள்ளுவம்;வளர்க தமிழ்!!!! பொருட்பால்:நட்பியல்!!!! பேதைமை:அதிகாரம்84/133

by Keyem Dharmalingam

வாழ்க வள்ளுவம்;வளர்க தமிழ்!!!!  

 பொருட்பால்:நட்பியல்!!!!

 பேதைமை:அதிகாரம் 84/133

831.

பேதைமை என்பதொன்று யாதெனின் ஏதங்கொண்டு

ஊதியம் போக விடல்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177404"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

What one thing merits folly's special name.

Letting gain go, loss for one's own to claim!

Explanation :

Folly is one (of the chief defects); it is that which (makes one) incur loss and forego gain.

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832.

பேதைமையுள் எல்லாம் பேதைமை காதன்மை

கையல்ல தன்கட் செயல்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177405"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

'Mid follies chiefest folly is to fix your love

On deeds which to your station unbefitting prove.

Explanation :

The greatest folly is that which leads one to take delight in doing what is forbidden.

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833.

நாணாமை நாடாமை நாரின்மை யாதொன்றும்

பேணாமை பேதை தொழில்

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177406"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

Ashamed of nothing, searching nothing out, of loveless heart,

Nought cherishing, 'tis thus the fool will play his part.

Explanation :

Shamelessness indifference (to what must be sought after), harshness, and aversion for everything (that ought to be desired) are the qualities of the fool.

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834.

ஓதி உணர்ந்தும் பிறர்க்குரைத்தும் தானடங்காப்

பேதையின் பேதையார் இல்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177407"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

The sacred law he reads and learns, to other men expounds,-

Himself obeys not; where can greater fool be found?

Explanation :

There are no greater fools than he who, though he has read and understood (a great deal) and even taught it to others, does not walk according to his own teaching.

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835.

ஒருமைச் செயலாற்றும் பேதை எழுமையும்

தான்புக் கழுந்தும் அளறு.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177408"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

The fool will merit hell in one brief life on earth,

In which he entering sinks through sevenfold round of birth.

Explanation :

A fool can procure in a single birth a hell into which he may enter and suffer through all the seven births.

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836.

பொய்படும் ஒன்றோ புனைபூணும் கையறியாப்

பேதை வினைமேற் கொளின்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177409"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

When fool some task attempts with uninstructed pains,

It fails; nor that alone, himself he binds with chains.

Explanation :

If the fool, who knows not how to act undertakes a work, he will (certainly) fail. (But) is it all ? He will even adorn himself with பிட்டேர்ஸ்

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837.

ஏதிலார் ஆரத் தமர்பசிப்பர் பேதை

பெருஞ்செல்வம் உற்றக் கடை.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177410"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

When fools are blessed with fortune's bounteous store,

Their foes feed full, their friends are prey to hunger sore.

Explanation :

If a fool happens to get an immense fortune, his neighbours will enjoy it while his relations starve.

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838.

மையல் ஒருவன் களித்தற்றால் பேதைதன்

கையொன்று உடைமை பெறின்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177411"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

When folly's hand grasps wealth's increase, 'twill be

As when a mad man raves in drunken glee.

Explanation :

A fool happening to possess something is like the intoxication of one who is (already) giddy.

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839.

பெரிதினிது பேதையார் கேண்மை பிரிவின்கண்

பீழை தருவதொன் றில்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177412"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

Friendship of fools is very pleasant thing,

Parting with them will leave behind no sting.

Explanation :

The friendship between fools is exceedingly delightful (to each other): for at parting there will be nothing to cause them pain.

********************************************

840.

கழாஅக்கால் பள்ளியுள் வைத்தற்றால் சான்றோர்

குழாஅத்துப் பேதை புகல்.

இணைப்பினை அழுத்தி குறட்பாவினை இனிய இசையில் விளக்கத்துடன் கேட்டு மகிழுங்கள்.

<a onClick='window.open("http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=177413"

Translation by Rev. Dr. G. U. Pope, Rev W. H. Drew,Rev. John Lazarus and Mr F. W. Ellis

Like him who seeks his couch with unwashed feet,

Is fool whose foot intrudes where wise men meet.

Explanation :

The appearance of a fool in an assembly of the learned is like placing (one's) unwashed feet on a bed.

***********************************************

குறட்பா இணைப்புக்களை சேமித்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள் நண்பரே!!! எப்போது வேண்டுமானாலும் எந்த குறள் வேண்டுமானாலும் உங்கள் குழந்தைகளுடனோ, நண்பர்களுடனோ இனிய இசையில், விளக்கத்துடன் தமிழில் கேட்டு மகிழ உதவியாக இருக்கும். ஆங்கிலத்திலும் போப்,அவர்களால் மொழிபெயர்க்கப்பட்டு விளக்கத்துடன் கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மேலும் வேறு மொழிகளில் பதிவுகள் கிடைத்தால் நண்பர்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள விருப்பம் உண்டு. விருப்பம் உள்ள அன்பர்கள் நண்பர்கள் தொடர்பு கொள்ளவும். நன்றி.......அன்புடன் கே எம் தர்மா....

ஆசையே துன்பத்திற்கு காரணம்

பகிரப்படாத என் வாழ்வின் பக்கங்களில்  ஆசைகள் நிறைந்திருக்கின்றன..   பட்டாம்பூச்சியாய் சிறகடிக்க  எண்ணிய என் ஆசைகள்  பட்டுப்புடவையாய் செத்துப்போயின..   பட்டுப்புடவை பார்ப்போருக்கழகு... இழைபிரிக்க வெந்நீரில்  வெந்தவலி ...?   கூட்டுப்புழு கதறும் சத்தம்கூடக் கேட்காமல்  கருவே கல்லறையானது போல்... என் ஆசைகள் எனக்குள்ளேயே புதைந்துபோயின ..   என் சிறகிலிருந்து பிரிந்த இறகுகள்   உங்கள் காலடிகளில் சிதறிக்கிடக்கின்றன  இயன்றவர் சேகரித்துத் தாருங்கள்  மீண்டும் ஒருமுறை முயற்சிக்கிறேன்.. இறகுகள்கூட்டி சிறகுசெய்து  பறப்பதற்கு..!!      நட்புடன் ...யாழினி...

What Darwin didn't know

What Darwin didn't know

 Biology / Evolution 

University of Utah anthropologist Alan R. Rogers is the author of a new book, "The Evidence for Evolution." Credit: Lee Siegel, University of Utah.

University of Utah anthropologist Alan R. Rogers has written an evolution book that fills in pieces that were missing from Darwin's argument.

In "The Evidence for Evolution" – published this month by the University of Chicago Press – the anthropology professor tries to lay to rest what he says are persistent and inaccurate anti-evolution arguments with scientific evidence that was unavailable in Charles Darwin's day.

Rogers points out that Darwin didn't know about genetics, continental drift or the age of the Earth. He had never seen a species change. He had no idea whether it was even possible for a species to split in two. He knew of no transitional fossils and of almost no human fossils.

"That evidence might have gone the other way," Rogers says. "It might have refuted Darwin's theory. But instead, we have 150 years of evidence, all of which supports his theory. My book tells the story of these discoveries."

Rogers has been teaching courses on evolution since the 1980s, but for most of that time he didn't talk much about the evidence that evolution actually happens. That issue was settled scientifically more than a century ago, and scientists are interested in the unknown and newly discovered. So, classes and textbooks tend to emphasize the mechanisms of evolution that are still subjects of active research.

Rogers changed his approach in 2006 after he read a poll reporting that only about half of Americans believe humans evolved. "It occurred to me after reading this poll that it didn't make much sense to teach students about the intricacies of evolution if they don't believe that evolution happens in the first place. So, I decided that my introductory classes henceforth were going to have a week or two on the evidence for evolution, and I started looking for a text."

Existing texts either were too long or seemed to expect the reader to take the author's word for things. Rogers was determined not to ask that of his students. To fill the void, he wrote his own easy-to-read book that supports evolution with modern science.

"I'm trying to convince skeptics that evolution really happened. If they're skeptics, then as soon as I get to the point where I say, 'trust me,' they're going to say 'no. The reason I'm skeptical is because I don't trust you.'"

Rogers believes his book will be valuable to evolution skeptics and those who are already convinced. Evolutionists, he says, should be prepared to offer evidence when challenged, and even people familiar with biology will have something to learn. Despite spending 30 years studying evolution, Rogers still included material that was new to him.

He hopes "The Evidence for Evolution" will encourage people to think critically.

"All scientists are skeptics if they're any good, but they're not stubborn about it. In science, you have to be able to change your mind when confronted with evidence. It seems to me that learning that skill is important, not only for scientists, but for everybody. It makes us better citizens."

More information: http://press.uchic … 5941109.html

Provided by University of Utah

"What Darwin didn't know." June 8th, 2011. http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-darwin-didnt.html

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The Evidence for Evolution [Paperback]Alan R. Rogers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A well-written and timely book. Rogers has the unique ability to present complicated and seemingly illogical ideas in a very coherent way." (Christina Richards, University of South Florida)"

Product Description

According to polling data, most Americans doubt that evolution is a real phenomenon. And it’s no wonder that so many are skeptical: many of today’s biology courses and textbooks dwell on the mechanisms of evolution—natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow—but say little about the evidence that evolution happens at all. How do we know that species change? Has there really been enough time for evolution to operate?

With The Evidence for Evolution, Alan R. Rogers provides an elegant, straightforward text that details the evidence for evolution. Rogers covers different levels of evolution, from within-species changes, which are much less challenging to see and believe, to much larger ones, say, from fish to amphibian, or from land mammal to whale. For each case, he supplies numerous lines of evidence to illustrate the changes, including fossils, DNA, and radioactive isotopes. His comprehensive treatment stresses recent advances in knowledge but also recounts the give and take between skeptical scientists who first asked “how can we be sure” and then marshaled scientific evidence to attain certainty. The Evidence for Evolution is a valuable addition to the literature on evolution and will be essential to introductory courses in the life sciences.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (June 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226723828
• ISBN-13: 978-0226723822
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches

More details at Amazon.com

Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

Running For Your Life - Runners Do Live Longer

By Rick Morris

Imagine pulling up to the drive up window of your local drug store. You hand the pharmacist your prescription. In just a few minutes a fork lift shows up and plops a treadmill on top of your car! That’s right – your doctor prescribed a treadmill to improve your health and cure your illness!

OK – Maybe I am exaggerating just a bit. You probably won’t be picking up a treadmill at your neighborhood pharmacy, but more and more doctors are prescribing running and other forms of exercise to their patients. These doctors are learning what coaches, personal trainers and runners have known for years. Running is good for your physical and mental health.

If you are currently a runner you probably already knew that. One of the reasons you run is for the health benefits. If you are a new runner or are thinking about starting, you assume that running will improve your health and extend your life. Your assumption is correct. If you run consistently over your lifetime, a longer lifespan is the very probable outcome. A study completed last year in Rotterdam confirmed that. The researchers in Rotterdam concluded that people who run about 30 minutes per day - five days per week extended their lives by 3.5 to 3.7 years. 

Two Miles a Day Keeps the Grim Reaper Away

There is no question that running and other forms of physical exercise improve your health. What are the health benefits of running and how does it extend your life?  Funny you should ask! Researchers at the University of British Columbia investigated that very topic in March of this year.  In that study Warburton and associates found that recent research shows that sedentary individuals can reduce their risk of premature death between 20% and 50% by simply becoming more active. Even moderate amounts of running will decrease your levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), increase your HDL (good cholesterol), lower your blood pressure and improve your cardiac function. The researchers also found that if you increase the amount of calories you burn through physical exercise by 1000 calories or about 10 miles of running per week, you can reduce your risk of premature death by another 20%.

That’s great news for people who are healthy and do not currently have cardiovascular disease. What about those whom are already at risk?  Good news! The benefits of running also apply to individuals that already have cardiovascular disease. The researchers determined that burning around 1600 calories or 16 miles of running per week may stop the advancement of cardiovascular disease and 2200 calories or 22 miles of running per week could actually reverse the disease.

Running is a Diabetes Buster

Insulin is a hormone that your body uses to covert sugar and other foods into energy.  Diabetes is a disease in which your body does not properly produce or use insulin, which can result in a dangerously high level of glucose in your blood.  The most common types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which your body fails to produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter your cells to provide energy.  Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your body produces insulin, but you develop an insulin resistance. Your body does not properly use the insulin that is available. Most individuals diagnosed with diabetes today have type 2.

Running will help prevent the development of diabetes and also help manage existing cases. Warburton and associates found that an increase in exercise of just 500 calories per week (about 5 miles of running) will decrease the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. The study also determined physically inactive men with type 2 diabetes were 1.7 times more likely to die prematurely than physically active men with type 2 diabetes.

Running – The Cancer Killer

There have been several studies that show that physical activity can help prevent many types of cancers, particularly colon and breast cancer. Walburton and fellow researchers reviewed over 100 studies and found that higher, more intense levels of physical activity such as running were more effective in protecting against cancer than lower level activities. They revealed that physically active men and women were 30% to 40% less likely to develop colon cancer and physically active women were at 20% to 30% less risk of developing breast cancer than their less active counterparts.

Current cancer patients can also benefit from running. One study investigated by Walburton and associates indicated that the most physically active breast cancer patients reduced their risk of cancer related death and recurrence of breast cancer by 26% to 40%.

Running Is a Bone Builder

Many critics of running will tell you that you should avoid it because it is a high impact activity. They will suggest that you should perform low-impact activities such as stationary bicycling or elliptical machines to minimize stress on your bones and joints. They are partly right but mostly wrong. They are correct that running is a high-impact activity. You are placing stress on your bones with each stride you take. They are wrong in suggesting that you should avoid all high impact exercise. Impact exercise is necessary in order to reduce the occurrence of osteoporosis.  This was proven by a recent investigation that showed athletes who participate in high impact sports have higher bone density when compared to athletes who engage in low impact sports.

Your bones are similar to your muscles in the fact that a lack of stress will result in weakness. If you do not exercise your muscles they will atrophy or get smaller and weaker. The same principle applies to your bones. If your bones are not consistently stressed, they will become weak and brittle. If you consistently stress them through high impact activities such as running or strength training, they will respond by growing stronger. Warburton and associates found that running 15 to 20 miles per week is associated with maintaining or building bone density.  Another study conducted in the year 2000 showed that intense physical activity led to a reduced incidence of hip fractures in the men studied.

Exercise also helps decrease the severity of existing osteoporosis. In a 6 month study, 98 older women with osteoporosis participated in high impact exercise training. The exercise improved their bone densities by .5% to 1.4%.

How Far Should You Go?

As you can see there is no doubt that running will improve your health, increase your level of fitness and probably extend your life, but how far should you run? The answer to that question depends upon your current situation. Any amount of exercise will help. While most fitness professionals recommend a minimum weekly energy expenditure of 1000 calories (10 miles of running), burning as little as 500 calories (5 miles of running or walking) per week has been shown to be beneficial to your health. This is especially true for individuals who have been sedentary, have very low fitness levels, the frail or elderly. But there is also evidence that a much higher volume and intensity of exercise is more beneficial.

Berkeley researcher Paul Williams and assistant Davina Moussa conducted a study of 1,833 women as part of the National Runners Health Study. The study investigated the benefits of prolonged running. Williams and Moussa determined that running more miles resulted in greater health benefits, up to 40 miles per week. Running over 40 miles per week will continue to improve your level of fitness, but the researchers found that there were few health or life extension benefits obtained from running more than 40 miles per week.

Is There a Dark Side?

One of my favorite movies when I was young was the original Star Wars. A part of that movie that has stayed with me over the years is the eerie scene involving the heavy and raspy breathing of Darth Vader, who represented the dark side.

Running provides many physical and mental health benefits, but is there a dark side to running? Some believe that there is. Occasionally a tragedy occurs in the sport of running. Runners that appear to be fit and healthy collapse and die during their race or training run. During the 2006 Los Angeles Marathon two men died after suffering a heart attack.  One runner suffered a heart attack 3 miles into the race while the other collapsed at mile 21. A third runner had a heart attack at the start of the race but survived.

Sudden death is not a common occurrence in running, even during a race as grueling and strenuous as the marathon. It is even rarer to see multiple deaths, such as the unfortunate events during the 2006 Los Angeles Marathon, but sudden deaths do occur. Studies vary in data concerning the number of sudden deaths among runners. One report said that about 7 of every 100,000 runners will die suddenly. Another recent study determined that sudden death associated with moderate to vigorous exercise was very low at 1 per 36.5 million hours of exercise.   In 2005, researchers conducted a study of 215,413 runners that competed in the Marine Corps and Twin Cities Marathons over a 30 year period .  The researchers found that only 4 sudden deaths occurred due to unsuspected heart disease. That is a very low .002% which is much lower than risks of sudden death among non-runners. Regardless of which numbers you choose to believe, the incidence of sudden death among runners is rare.

Sudden death during exercise is a relatively rare occurrence, but unfortunately it does happen. If running and exercise improves your health and extends your life, why do these tragedies happen? Does running increase the chances of sudden death? As with most complex questions, the answer is partly yes and partly no.

This question became a full blown controversy in the early 1980’s with the death of running author Jim Fixx. Fixx became famous as the writer of the international best selling book “The Complete Book of Running”. This was one of the first books to introduce the joys and benefits of running to the general population and was credited for helping fuel the running boom of the 1980’s.  Fixx died of a heart attack while running and immediately the blame for his sudden death fell upon running and vigorous exercise.

The most common cause of death in today’s society is coronary artery disease. Almost every investigation agrees; nearly all runners that die suddenly during exercise already had advanced cardiovascular disease. None of these diseases are caused by running. It has been proven time and time again that running and other forms of exercise help prevent heart disease. A runner with heart disease is more like to suffer from a fatal heart attack when exercising than when at rest. This makes sense because the strain on the heart is obviously greater during strenuous exercise.  However, because of the health benefits of exercise, if those same runners were to avoid exercise, their risk of sudden death at all times would rise, not fall.

The death of Jim Fixx is a perfect example of this. Fixx already had heart disease at the time of his death. He was a former smoker and had a family history of heart disease. His father had died of a heart attack at age 43. Fixx also had elevated blood cholesterol. Three of his coronary arteries were blocked, one at 95%, one at 85% and one at 50%. He died at age 53, outliving his father by 10 years. Running did not kill Jim Fixx. On the contrary, it almost certainly allowed him to live a longer, happier and more productive life.

Run On

There is not a doubt in the world that habitual, consistent runners live longer, healthier and happier lives. Running helps prevent, manage and reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer and other diseases. It keeps your weight at a healthy level, lowers your blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol, builds your strength and improves your cardiac function. Running also reduces your stress level, anxiety and depression.

Runners that already have heart disease are slightly more at risk of sudden death during exercise than when they are at rest, but without exercise their risk of sudden death is greater at all times. If you currently have, or have a family history of, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, if you are a smoker or if you are over 50 you should be screened by your doctor before you begin or continue running.

Running is good for you and data shows that it will add years to your life. So run on. Runners do live longer.

The Life Saver Workout

Most fitness professionals recommend a minimum training volume that burns at least 1000 calories per week. Studies have shown that this amount of training will result in a 20% to 50% reduction of premature death. Use this simple training schedule to burn the minimum suggested 1000 weekly calories. Perform each workout at an easy to moderate pace. In order to obtain the desired result you must burn at least 1000 calories per week on a consistent basis for the rest of your life.

Monday – 1 mile
Tuesday – 2 miles
Wednesday – Off
Thursday – 2 miles
Friday – Off
Saturday – 2 miles
Sunday – 3 miles

The Life Extender Workout

The estimated increase in life expectancy from consistent, habitual exercise varies slightly from study to study, but most agree that burning 2000 calories per week through exercise on a consistent basis will extend your life by 1.3 to 3.7 years. Here is a simple weekly workout that expends approximately 2000 calories and should add a couple of years to your life. Keep in mind that you need to stay active and physically fit for your entire lifetime. Your pace is not critical for these workouts. Perform most of the runs at an easy pace. You will improve your fitness even further if you do some of your workouts at a faster, more intense pace.

Monday – 2 miles
Tuesday – 3 miles
Wednesday – 4 miles
Thursday – 3 miles
Friday – Off
Saturday – 3 miles
Sunday – 5 miles

The Life Maximizer Workout

As you read earlier, Williams and Moussa determined that the health benefits of running increase as mileage increases up to 40 miles per week. Here is a routine that that you can do to safely and comfortably run 40 miles per week. This schedule uses workouts that range from 4 miles to a long run of 10 miles that is done one time per week. If you are currently unable to run the suggested distances, begin with your existing long run distance and build up by adding one mile each week until you reach the suggested workout mileage. Do most of these runs at an easy pace. To increase your level of fitness even more, do a couple of these weekly runs at a slightly harder pace. Do not do two harder runs on consecutive days. You will need an easy run between each hard effort for muscle recovery.

You do not have to limit yourself to 40 miles. You will continue to accrue fitness and race performance benefits up to about 75 or more miles per week. But, research has shown that health and life extension benefits begin to drop off sharply after about 40 miles per week.

Monday – 5 miles
Tuesday – 5 miles
Wednesday – 6 miles
Thursday – 4 miles
Friday – 5 miles
Saturday – 5 miles
Sunday – 10 miles

Moderate to intense exercise may protect the brain

Moderate to intense exercise may protect the brain

Older people who regularly exercise at a moderate to intense level may be less likely to develop the small brain lesions, sometimes referred to as "silent strokes," that are the first sign of cerebrovascular disease, according to a new study published in the June 8, 2011, online issue of Neurology.

"These 'silent strokes' are more significant than the name implies, because they have been associated with an increased risk of falls and impaired mobility, memory problems and even dementia, as well as stroke," said study author Joshua Z. Willey, MD, MS, of Columbia University in New York and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Encouraging older people to take part in moderate to intense exercise may be an important strategy for keeping their brains healthy."

The study involved 1,238 people who had never had a stroke. Participants completed a questionnaire about how often and how intensely they exercised at the beginning of the study and then had MRI scans of their brains an average of six years later, when they were an average of 70 years old.

A total of 43 percent of the participants reported that they had no regular exercise; 36 percent engaged in regular light exercise, such as golf, walking, bowling or dancing; and 21 percent engaged in regular moderate to intense exercise, such as hiking, tennis, swimming, biking, jogging or racquetball.

The brain scans showed that 197 of the participants, or 16 percent, had small brain lesions, or infarcts, called silent strokes. People who engaged in moderate to intense exercise were 40 percent less likely to have the silent strokes than people who did no regular exercise. The results remained the same after the researchers took into account other vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. There was no difference between those who engaged in light exercise and those who did not exercise.

"Of course, light exercise has many other beneficial effects, and these results should not discourage people from doing light exercise," Willey said.

The study also showed that the benefit of moderate to intense exercise on brain health was not apparent for people with Medicaid or no health insurance. People who exercised regularly at a moderate to intense level who had Medicaid or no health insurance were no less likely to have silent infarcts than people who did no regular exercise. "It may be that the overall life difficulties for people with no insurance or on Medicaid lessens the protective effect of regular exercise," Willey said.

Provided by American Academy of Neurology

"Moderate to intense exercise may protect the brain." June 8th, 2011. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-moderate-intense-brain.html

Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

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